The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-04-02
CHARLES
How the Venerable MethOdlat Poet Passed
the Last Days Of His Life.

little white horse, gray with age. II
appears to have been brought every
morning from the foundry-an arrange.
ment which its master did not like, but
which it was impossible to avoid. He
was somewhat stouter than his broth.
er, but not corpulent. Henry Moore
says that he wore winter clothing even
in summer. When he mounted his
horse. If a subject struck him, he pro-
ceeded to expand it and put it in order.
This he usedto write on card in short.
hand with his pencil Not unfre.
quently he used to come 10 the house
in the city road. and, having lefs the
pony In the garden in front, he would
enter, crying out: ''Pen and ink! per
n ink'' When these were given him
he proceeded TO write out his hymn.
This done, he looked around on those
present. salutcd them with much kind.
ness, inquired after their health, anC
then gave out some short hymn.
What impression he produced or
strangers may be understood from
William Wilberforcc's account of hi:
first interview with the venerable poet.
at the house of Hannah More. Hn
says: 81 went, in 1892. to see her, and
when | came into the room Charles
Wesley rose from the table, around
which a numerous company sat at tea.
and. coming forward to me, gave me
soiemnly his blessing. l was scarcely
ever more affected. Such was the eff.
feet Of his manner and appearance
that it altogether overset me, and ]
burst into tears, unable to restrain my
SELF
When City Road chapel was built,
Charles Wesley preached there or in
some other Methodist chapel every
Sunday morning and afternoon. except
when he was supplying the congrcga-
ton in Bristol. or was laid aside from
his growing intirmities. His ministry
was solemn and awakening. yet full OF
tenderness for the mourners. When
in good health and under the
special influence of the spirit,
as he often was. he was fluent
and powerful. He used short.
pointed sentences, full of Scripture sen.
timcnt and phraseology. 'In prayer
he was copious and mighty, especially
on sacramental occasions. when he
seemed to enter into the hottest of all
by the blood of Jesus If his thoughts
did not flow freely, he was very DELHI
crate in the pulpit, making long pauses
MS though waiting for the spirits in
luence. 'In such cases he usually
preached with his eyes closed; he
tumbled with his hands about his
breast, leaned with his elbows upon the
Bible, and his whole body was in mo.
ton. He was often so feeble as to be
under the necessity Of calling upon his
congregation to sing in the course OF
his sermon that he might partially re-
cover himself and be able to finish his
discourse. Till within a few months OF
his death he continued his ministry in
the London chapels.
Every lover of Charles Wesley's
poetry has been touched by the dying
effort of his muse. For some time he
had been lying quietly on his bed. Al
last he called for Mrs. Wesley, and
asked her to write the following lines
at his dictation:
In age and feeblcness extreme,
Who shall a sinful worm redeem;
Jesus. my only hope Thou art,
Strength of my failing flesh and heart;
o could I catch a smile from Thee.
And drop into eternity.
On Saturday, the 29th Of March. his
happy spirit fled. Through the whole
week the restlessness of death had been
on him. He slept much, without re.
lreshment. On Tuesday and Wednes-
day he was not entirely sensible. His
end was what he particularly wished ii
might be-peace. mo tiend,' he said
to his wife, twas permitted to approach
him." Some one observed that the
valley of the shadow of dcash was hard
to be passed. mot with Christ was
his $ He spoke to all his chill
dren with affection and hope of their
salvation. Samuel Brrdburn sat
up with him the night but one be-
fore his death. His mind was
calm as a summer evening. On the
Saturday all the family stood round
his bed. The last words which they
could catch from his lips we're: Lord.
my heart. my Cod" With his hand
lying in his daughters, the old saint
passed home so gently that the
watchers did not know when the spirit
fled. 1t was afterward ascertained
that John Wesley was in Shropshire,
and at the moment Of his brothers
death he and his congregation were
singing Charles Wesley's hymn:
oro ,rny If tho living Cod